Happy Friday! How is your week so far? For the first time ever I’m writing the Weekend Coffee Share on a Friday evening (actually it’s almost midnight.) I went to bed early, (it’s been a long, intense week,) but I had so many thoughts running trough my head, that it was impossible to sleep. I’ll share some of my thoughts with you, instead of pushing them away, trying to reach la la land.

How have you been? What kind of beverage can I offer you this Friday night? Of course you can always have coffee if you like, but there’s other beverages as well. Make yourself at home.

A post shared by MJ (@sagittariusviking) on Jan 18, 2019 at 3:39pm PST

I tried a new super-protein-smoothie today. One of my friends talked about Ka’chava. It sounded very interesting, with 70 organic plant based superfood. In my head I thought about some recent hikes that took longer than I thought, where I ended up being starving along the way. What If I had a quick filling meal with me for all those emergencies? Or when you’re spending time in places where the food is less appealing to your healthy lifestyle? It would be so awesome to bring something you could eat with a clear conscience, and stay on top of your world. So I decided to try it. It’s a powder that you can mix with any liquid (water, almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk etc.) It was as delicious as my friend told me, and very filling. I’m not associated with the brand in any way, just happily discovered something that I like, and will add to my daily diet. (And YES, my New Year Resolution workout routine is working, thanks for asking.) Maybe you want to switch your coffee, for a delicious smoothie this weekend, and try it yourself? Did I say that Ka’chava is seductively delicious?

So tell me about your week! Is it one of those super busy weeks in your corner of the universe? It has been a busy, rainy week here.

We don’t have very many days of rain in the desert. I enjoyed our rainy days!

A post shared by MJ (@sagittariusviking) on Jan 16, 2019 at 10:03am PST

There’s been a big focus on my daughter’s school work this week. We’ve spent an average of 2,5 hours after school every day working on things that she needs to improve. Learning wise last semester (when she tried living with her dad) was a joke. I’m not that concerned, because I know how intelligent she is, and she has all the support she needs now. This week’s hard work paid off, and there is already noticeable improvement. I also took her to see my optometrist today, just to make sure the challenges I’ve notices recently isn’t caused by anything physical. It would be such a bummer to have her work harder, when all she needs is glasses, but that wasn’t the case. Her eyes are perfect. I’m relieved, since I have some challenges with my eyes. We’re just going to keep making education a priority, like we always have. It’s so much easier to help her now, when I have her full time again. I’ve ordered a bunch of new, exciting books for her, to make it fun.

How do you like your smoothie? I’m totally hooked. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I have some things I need to catch up with; update my online art gallery, clean up the dog area in the backyard (if it’s not too wet,) finish putting my daughter’s new loft bed together (it has hundreds of pieces..literally,) and I definitely need to get out of the city at some point. I’d like to try a new hike this weekend, I have a few on my wish list. My soul is screaming for a horseback ride this weekend. We’ll see. I still look at horse ads almost every day. While I’m sketching on garden plans for my future homestead, gotta keep the dream alive 😉

Oooo, I almost forgot! I’ve ordered a DNA testing kit. I don’t have it in my hands yet, but I’m super excited about it. I don’t know why I haven’t done it before, it’s been on my mind for a long time. I talked to a relative of mine earlier this week, and decided that I wanted to take a test myself. Have you done it? Or is it something that you would like to do? Why, or why not?

Have an awesome, amazing weekend!

Love,

Ms Zen

Weekend Coffee Share is a time for us to take a break out of our lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new)!

Grab a cup of coffee and share with us! What’s been going on in your life? What are your weekend plans? Is there a topic you’ve just been ruminating on that you want to talk about?

All are welcome! Just add your link to the Linky-List, and be sure to visit others and join in their conversations!

Good Morning, I can’t believe it’s already Sunday. How is your weekend so far? Would you like some coffee, or tea this beautiful morning?

My body has been craving tea in the mornings for a while. I love coffee (as you know. The stronger the better,) but lately I’ve been craving tea to start my day. Herbal tea that is. Today I had Echinacea tea (with lemongrass, and licorice root,) to go with my avocado toast, and fresh dates. I have some of that hot black gold as well, if that’s what you prefer today.

What’s the weather like where you are? Are you enjoying cold, snowy days? We’ve had a comfortable week in the lower 60’s. Our weekend adventure this week went to Lake Mead. (All the photos in the post are from that trip.) It was a few degrees cooler there, but still very comfortable. I have been to Lake Mead before, but not spent that much time there. I really enjoyed exploring a little more, and I will definitely go back, when it gets hot in the city.

Majestic Lake Mead looking out towards Arizona, near Hoover Dam.

Lake Mead is a beautiful oasis in the desert. It’s located on the Colorado River, just minutes from The Las Vegas Strip! It is the largest man made reservoir in the United States. When full it has the capacity to cover the state of Pennsylvania with over one foot of water. Formed by the creation of Hoover Dam during the 1930s, the massive reservoir serves water to over 40 million people. Supplying water to several southwestern states as well as Mexico.

Rapidly rising water on the backside of Sand Island, located in Lake Mead’s Lower Basin area.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area, is a National Park with an abundance of wildlife including, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Grey and Blue Herons, coyotes, and the endangered Desert Tortoises, as well as several other species of wildlife.

BTW did you see the post about our weekend adventure last weekend ? We went to Mount Charleston (in the photos above) and played in the snow. It was a fantastic weekend!

Did you make any New Years resolutions? I’ve been keeping my exercise regime so far, it’s not new, I just like to have my goals on paper (so to speak.) I remember them better over time that way.

I feel like I’m on top of the world!

My German Shepherd Gretchen loves water, and she was thrilled when she saw the lake.

My little explorers. This is a sight I LOVE.

Are we starting to get back in the groove after the holidays? This was the first week at my daughter’s new school. She was nervous the first day, but it went well. The other days she happily went to school. She scored unusually low on a test on Friday, but I don’t make to much out of that, it’s probably due to all the excitement. Her new school is stricter than her last school. Both when it comes to uniforms, and rules. I like it. I think it’s very good for her. I give my daughter a lot of freedom, but my basic parenting is stricter than most of my friends. I think that a child very well can understand the relation between freedom, and responsibility. Their actions, and the result their actions create. I give a lot, but also expect a lot from her.

Are you good on coffee? Maybe a refill? It was morning when I started to write, then I got distracted for a few hours. I’m going to have some coffee, while I’m enjoying the other coffee shares.

Weekend Coffee Share is a time for us to take a break out of our lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new)!Grab a cup of coffee and share with us! What’s been going on in your life? What are your weekend plans? Is there a topic you’ve just been ruminating on that you want to talk about? All are welcome! Just add your link to the Linky-List, and be sure to visit others and join in their conversations!

I know that I mentioned during our coffee date last weekend, that I felt a need to get out of the city. Not that unusual..LOL. A day trip during the weekend really does the trick for me. I’d say that I can handle city living pretty good, if I get that thrill most weekends. To be addicted to nature can’t be all that bad. Right?

It snowed in the mountains surrounding Las Vegas, on Saturday night. We headed up to Mount Charleston, (one of our closest places to enjoy the snow at,) on Sunday. This time it was even more fun than usual, because we didn’t go by ourselves. We went with a great family from Vegas, that both my daughter and I love very much. It was a blast.

The kids were so happy to play in the snow.

Both two legged, and four legged kids!

I’m so grateful that we have the mountains nearby. It really doesn’t matter what mountain it is, the mountains feels like home to me.

I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, This is what it is to be happy. – Sylvia Plath

That is exactly how I feel when I get out of the city. Alive. There’s endless studies showing that people who lives close to nature (park/forest,/beach/mountain,) and frequently spend time there, is less likely to get depressed, or suffer anxiety problems. Not that I ever had a severe reaction like that, but still. I can totally understand that relation.

My German Shepherd shares my opinion. I never see her as happy, as she is when she’s in the mountains.

You already know who my favorite poet it..I feel the power of this well known quote in my soul.

The mountains are calling and I must go. – John Muir

Sledding, and snowshoeing are popular winter activities at Mount Charleston. We had a great time playing, and doing some lighter hiking with the kids. I think it was exactly what we all needed to be able to start a new week at our best. (A pretty important week that is. My daughter started a new school, closer to my new home yesterday. Her first day went well. She made some new friends, and said that the school was OK.)

Where earth meets the sky.

It was cold and beautiful.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. – John Muir

I love the challenge of taking photos of a snowy landscapes. Everything looks so clean, and soft.

I was so surprised to see a Prickly Pear Cactus peek up through the snow. I didn’t know that they thrived on this elevation. The contrast is rather stunning, don’t you think?

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. – John Muir

I hope you enjoyed this little winter adventure, and some inspiration for your Thursday morning. I can’t believe that it’s almost weekend again!

Not all adventures makes it here to the blog, but I usually post something on Instagram, feel free to follow my explorations in mindfulness there.